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MS-06FP Zaku Striker
The MS-06FP Zaku Striker (aka Zaku Ball) is a variant of the well known MS-06 Zaku II mobile suit. One of a few mobile suits captured by the crew of the ''Magellan''-class battleship Wounded Hound, it underwent heavy modifications, though to a lesser extent than the rest taken by the EFSF unit. It would later be modified a second time at Jaburo using newly released technology fielded by the Earth Federation, in this case, a complete overhaul to bring the suit in line with the prototype RGM-79FP GM Striker. Functioning as a melee combat unit, its pilot was Sierra Donner. Technology & Combat Characteristics The C-Type Zaku II was a general purpose mobile suit, meant to be fielded in most any role, the Zaku Striker as a modification of one such Zaku was pushed more towards close quarters combat. Retaining its original armament of a shoulder-mounted shield for defense, and a ZMP-50D 120mm machine gun as its only means of facilitating range combat, the unit geared for a selection of melee weapons starting with its own unique Type3 Heat Glaive, which had been constructed from a converted Heat Hawk Type3. This provided the unit with versatility in the melee space, as the reach of the weapon prevented easy counterattacks. It would later claim a Heat Hawk Type5 from an enemy F-Type Zaku II as a back up. Its primary weakness, especially as a first-generation mobile suit, was its relative lack of heavy armour, such that melee combat was a constant gamble that proved damaging on several occassions, with the loss of its primary thrusters early on and later the loss of much of its upper body. The former issue would be temporarily resolved by integrating the main thrusters of an RB-79 Ball, leading to its nickname as the "Zaku Ball". Its remaining issues would be corrected by EFF engineers working at Jaburo base using designs and architecture from the RGM-79P GM Striker that was working its way through prototype-tests at the time. Unlike its sister units, the Zaku Magellan and Zaku Saberfish, the Zaku Striker went through an entire overhaul of its frame. Its joints were adjusted to increase what was, originally, very limited versatility for a close combat unit. Its thrusters were rebuilt and upgraded in order that the Zaku Striker could close in on enemy units faster. Its armour was reconstructed using a mix of Titanium alloys and composite ceramic plating, though head engineer George Dempsey ensured it retained its Zaku design to keep up the "theme" that the Wounded Hound mobile suit team had obtained in his eyes. In addition to its basic armour overhaul, the unit was gifted with a series of heavy armour plates, taken directly from the GM Striker line in order to further reinforce its capabilities. Its Zeon-centric arsenal was tossed out in favour of beam-type weaponry that the EFF had just advanced on to its mobile suits, including both a THI BXc811 Twin Beam Spear and THI BSjG01 Beam Saber. It was given an RX79-FP/3 Spike Shield in lieu of its previous shoulder shield. The unit would also procure a Heat Saber Type7 during conflict within Zeon forces following its retrofit at Jaburo. Armaments ZMP-50D 120mm Machine Gun :The standard weapon of the Zaku-type mobile suits. Using a 100-round drum fed magazine, it is a shell firing weapon that requires no energy in order to make use of it, though its usefulness against heavily armoured targets is almost nil, to the point that the Luna Titanium-armoured Gundam was near impossible to damage with the weapon. Regardless, it was a mainstay of the Zeon forces and perhaps the signature weapon of the Zaku II.Zaku II Armaments The Zaku Striker made use of one as its primary ranged armament before losing it in the battle at Pará River. HWF GMG·MG79-90mm Bullpup Machine Gun :The choice between beam rifles or machine guns was one of trade offs, though beam rifles, and their weaker counterpart, the beam spray guns, were capable of terrifying displays of destructive force, they were difficult to produce on a truly massive scale, at least during the One Year War itself, they were highly expensive to construct, and required a large amount of energy to use, such that certain beam weapons would require external power sources in order to be handled by a mobile suit properly. Meanwhile the machine gun was simply older technology scaled up for the arms of a mobile suit, they were extremely cheap to construct, far less complex and easier to maintain, and there was no dearth of engineers who knew how they worked. Though they were incapable of destroying an enemy suit with a single, even glancing, shot, they could hold vastly more ammunition, and could even be stocked with extra clips that a mobile suit itself could carry allowing the unit more freedom on the battlefield.GM Armaments As such, the tradeoffs saw that the Zaku Striker would be given an old-type weapon, in part to balance out the beam heavy Zaku Magellan, but also to give the unit fire support that could last in a drawn out battle. Type3 Heat Glaive :Basically what amounts to a C-Type Zaku II's Heat Hawk mounted onto a large pole. The weapon is a Heat Hawk Type3 that has been converted into a "Heat Glaive". The axe was fused with a cyllindrical line of super hard steel alloy that was further wrapped in an alloy binding, forged out of salvaged parts from a ''Magellan''-class battleship's hull. This provided the Zaku Striker with an intimidating polearm weapon that could easily cut through enemy mobile suits while generally keeping them outside of range close enough to retaliate with their own melee weaponry, and its shaft was reinforced such that it was difficult to cut through, though not impossible. THI BXc811 Twin Beam Spear :A polearm designed based on the Beam Javelin used by the RX-78-2 Gundam.GM Striker Armaments It is essentially a long shaft with a platform as its head with which a pair of beam sabers have been slotted, at two seperate points of elevation. The beam sabers operate at a higher output than their standard counterparts, and can be activated independently of one another allowing for some versatility in its application.Gundam Armaments When swung across large arcs, the beam has a tendency to blur into a crescent-like shape, making the spear appear to be a scythe instead. Following the battle at Jaburo, the THI BXc811 became the main armament of the Zaku Striker until the end of the One Year War. Heat Hawk Type5 :A metallic axe, typically stored on the rear waist armour of Zaku units, that is capable of generating a superheated blade in order to melt through the armour of whatever it cuts.Zaku I Armaments The Type5 is the signature type of this weapon design, and was fielded by the F-Type Zaku II.F-Type Zaku II Armaments It was used as the backup weapon for the Zaku Striker, as its Heat Hawk Type3 was now the head of its Heat Glaive, it remained as such before being replaced by the Heat Saber Type7 and the THI BSjG01 Beam Saber. Heat Saber Type7 :Designed with a resemblance to the Beam Sabers used by Earth Federation mobile suits but with a distinct Zeon flair with its thermal energy technology to supplied a metal blade, letting it melt through the armour of opposing machines at amazing speeds. The Type7 is an updated version, utilized by the MS-09R Rick Dom, over the previous design, used by the MS-09B Dom.Dom Armaments It makes use of a battery powered-system instead of taking its energy directly from a connection to the suits reactor, and was capable of being recharged on specifically designed recharge racks. One such rack was placed on the back waist plating of the Zaku Striker after acquiring the blade during the final stages of the war.Rick Dom Armaments THI BSjG01 Beam Saber :With the Gundam being the first to wield a beam saber, and the GM being the second, the Zaku Magellan holds itself in the third spot for this particular weapon. Beam sabers are large tube-like hilts that make use of Minovsky particles held in place by an I-Field to form a cutting edge that can break through almost any kind of material. These particles are stored by E-cap in the hilt of the saber which can be recharged by the mobile suits reactor when stored in the backpack. They utilize their own power source, allowing the wielder to throw or otherwise discard the weapons at anytime. The weapon was held in reserve, in case the Zaku Striker lost its Twin Beam Spear or the Heat Saber Type7. RX79-FP/3 Spike Shield :The Spike Shield is a defensive armament made up of thick shaped sheets of metal meant to block incoming attacks that the unit cannot avoid. The RX79-FP/3 is capable of eliminating most light arms fire and can survive under beam-type assaults for a brief period of time. As the name suggests there are like spiked protrusions attached to the shield, and while any shield can be used as a blunt weapon on its own, the spikes increases the damage that enemy units are faced with. Special Equipment & Features Ball Thruster Package :In its first battle with Zeon forces as a unit now fighting for the Earth Federation, the Zaku Striker lost its primary thrusters placed on its back, losing out on much of its mobility in the process. To remedy this, the Wounded Hound crew replaced the thrusters with those carried by an RB-79 Ball, which, while powerful, were not meant for use by such a large machine, making the Zaku Striker slower than its fellows for much of the war. A second of these thruster packs were attached to its right arm during the approach to Jaburo base, where it was used to increase the power of a punch, at the expense of the Zaku Striker's arm when the thrusters detonated. Striker Armour Plating :The Zaku Striker's external armour is covered in a series of heavy armour plates, directly lifted from the armour of an RGM-79FP GM Striker mobile suit. Providing the unit with much needed extra defenses, it primarily defends against light arms fire from Zeon units through the use of shock absorption. Notes *Its name is a joining between the MS-06 Zaku II and the RGM-79FP GM Striker, a slightly different approach to the other units used by the Wounded Hound crew which took their names from their first modifications (An RB-79 Ball in this case). Gallery File:ZMP-50D.jpg| ZMP-50D 120mm Machine Gun File:RGMGun.jpg| HWF GMG·MG79-90mm Bullpup Machine Gun File:GlaiveType3.jpg| Type3 Heat Glaive File:BeamSpear.png| THI BXc811 Twin Beam Spear File:HawkType5.jpg| Heat Hawk Type5 File:HeatSaber.jpg| Heat Saber Type7 File:GMSaber.jpg| THI BSjG01 Beam Saber File:SpikeShield.jpg| RX79-FP/3 Spike Shield References